Instep-holder for lasting boots and shoes



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INSTEP HOLDER- FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES. No. 291,077. Patented Jan. 1,1884.

WITNESSES- i INVENTDJ N. PEYERS. Wololilhngnpiwr, Walhingtan. 04 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Germs.

JAMES H. PARKER, OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

lNSTEP-HOLDER FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,077, dated January 1, 1881.

r 4 I Application filed May 31, 1883. (X0 model.)

To all whom it nmy concern Be it known that I, JAMES H. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milford, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instep-Holders for the Uppers of Laced Shoes in the Operation of Lasting; and I declare the following to be a description of my said invention sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for confining the uppers of shoes across the lacingslit, so as to retain the two sides in proper relative position, and to prevent them from becoming strained apart in the operation of lasting, or when drawing the uppers onto the lasts; also, to provide a holding device that will permit a certain degree of longitudinal movement while confining the parts laterally; also, to provide a double hook or holding devices adjustably secured to the instep of the last, and adapted for engaging one or more pairs of the lacing holes or eyelets for confining the upper, as more fully hereinafter set forth. These objects I attain by mechanism the nature of which is illustrated in the drawings and explained in the following description, the subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a lasted shoe-upper, illustrating the nature of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a last with my instep-holder applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the instep-holder separate from the last. on larger scale. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, of the same, showing its arrangement on the last. Fig. 6 shows a modification of the device. v p In referring to the drawings, A denotes the last, B the shoe-upper, and G the holding device, which consists of a curved bar having its ends 0 turned upward, and formed of proper size and shape to enter the eyelets or lacingholes d in the two sides of the upper B, so as to connect them together and prevent the lacing-slit from being strained open when drawing the upper over the edge of the inner sole in the process of lasting the shoe. The hook or bar Cis adjustably attached to the last, it having aswivel-connection with aslotted plate, E, fitted upon the instep of the last or lastblock, and secured by screws or otherwise, the part 0 being movable in the slot, so as to permit of the hook being varied in position longitudinally of the slot, and in angular adjustment to meet the eyelet-holes as they occur in different uppers. The sides 6 of the plate E can be slightly raised, or a channel, a, can be formed in the top of the last, to accommodate the head f of the connecting stud or pintle; or the holding-hook can be connected to the last in other suitable manner. One, two, or more holders or double hooks (/may be ar= ranged upon the last, or used for retaining the upper at several positions along thelacing-slit, if desired. The long slot in the plate E allows the hook to move forward without straining on the holes when the upper is drawn over the toe of the last, while lateral movement is prevented. The holder or double hook 0 serves to center the upper uniformly upon the last, and to hold it from spreading at the slit. Thus the proper full size over the instep is maintained, while it obviates the necessity of tying or lacing the uppers before they are lasted. It also acts to prevent the last-block from slipping back during the operations of manufac turing the shoes. X

In lieu of making the hook O to connect with the last by a slotted plate and swivel-stud, as shown, said hook may be made with a central eye, 0, arranged to run on a rod or wire, E, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the ends of the wire E being turned down and driven into the wood of the last, or bent with eyes and secured thereto by screws, or attached in any other suitable manner.

The hook C can be formed of steel wire, fiat band-iron, malleable casting, or of other suit able material, as desired.

WVhat I claim as of my invention, and de= sire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a last, of a double hook adapted to confine the two sides of a shoe upper and preventthe lacing-slit from being strained apart in the operation of lasting, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a last, of a double hook adjustably attached to the instep thereof, and adapted to engage the eyelets or laeinglast, of the slotted plate E and double hook holes in a shoe-upper for retaining said upper C, swiveled therein, substantially as and for imposition during the operation oi'lasting, subthe purpose set forth.

stantially as set forth. I Witness my hand this 23d day of May, A.

8. The combination, with a last, of a double D. 1883. hook adapted to have free lOIWit-Hdillfll HIOVB- 7 L r ment toward or from the toe, zvhile it is con- JUIDCJ 1 ARIXDR' fined from lateral movement, substantially as XVitnesses:

and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the instep of a FREDRICK LELAND ELus, (,im'RLns A. AMBLER. 

